Operations against PKK terrorists intensify

DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL

Published03.05.201900:28

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Turkish security forces detained a commander of the PKK's Syrian affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG), yesterday along with 11 other terror suspects, in counterterrorism operations in western İzmir province.The counterterrorism branch of the provincial security directorate conducted simultaneous operations in which the terrorist, a Syrian national identified as Ş.R., was detained.

Reports said that the terrorist had involved in armed conflicts in Syria and has been in YPG camps in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in Syria's Aleppo province for some four years.

Another terrorist, identified as M.M. whose fingerprints matched with the prints found on Molotov cocktails that were seized in the Buca district eight months ago, was also detained during the operations.

Police also seized digital material and banned publishing that are related to the terror group in raids on properties belonging to the suspects.

In separate operations conducted in Dicle, Silvan, Hazro, Kulp and Hani districts of southeastern Turkey's Diyarbakır province between April 30 and May 1, two high-ranking PKK terrorists were killed by the provincial gendarmerie forces while eight shelters belonging to the PKK terror group were also destroyed, the provincial governor's office said in a statement yesterday.

Şehriban Yöneten, who was using the codename "Viyanpirsus," and Iranian national Sabriye Reçber, who was using the codename "Didar Rojhilati," both of whom were on the Interior Ministry's grey list of wanted fugitives, were killed during the operations, the statement said.

The wanted list is divided into five color-coded categories, with red marking the most wanted, followed by blue, green, orange and grey, depending on the sensitivity of their criminal activity.

The statement added the killed terrorists were responsible for various terrorist attacks in Diyarbakır including the one which killed three gendarmerie officers on March 13, 2018, by a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED), and another which killed a guard on May 15, 2017.

Ammunition belonging to the terrorists and other objects, along with the digital material that were found in the shelters, were confiscated by the security forces.

Meanwhile, Turkish security forces have also detained two PKK terrorists, one of whom is responsible for killing a police officer in a terror attack in 2012, in a counterterrorism operation in eastern Turkey's Van province, provincial gendarmerie command said in a statement Thursday.

The terrorists were captured in the operation launched in the rural areas of Bükeç neighborhood in Gürpınar district on Wednesday, the statement said.

It added that one of the terrorists was involved in the terror attack in Van city center on July 2, 2012 that killed police officer Murat Dilmaç.

One of the terrorists, identified as M.K.K. was previously issued two separate arrest warrants over "being a member of a terrorist organization," while the other terrorist, identified as M.K. was previously issued two arrest warrants over the same charges and a one separate arrest warrant over opposing the law about "auditing a drug substance."

In a tweet, the ministry said Turkish jets destroyed weapon positions, shelters, and ammunition depots used by PKK terrorists in the Zap, Avasin-Basyan and Qandil regions.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children. Turkey sees the YPG as an extension of the PKK

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralize" in their statements to imply that the terrorist in question either surrendered or was killed or captured.

Counterterrorism operations were conducted throughout the month by the Turkish Armed Forces as well as the country's General Directorate of Security, Gendarmerie and National Intelligence Organization, according to information compiled by Anadolu Agency (AA).

Security forces arrested over 250 people over suspected links to the PKK terror group in nationwide operations, while 40 of the suspects were remanded in custody.